AROUND THE HORN
James’ basket lifts Lakers
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers showed some rust.
They knocked it off with time to spare.
Anthony Davis scored 34 points, James had the go-ahead basket with 12.8 seconds left and the Lakers moved closer to clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs by topping the Los Angeles Clippers 103-101 on Thursday night in the second game of the NBA’s re-opening doubleheader.
James had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists to help the Lakers move 6 1/2 games ahead of the Clippers in the West with seven games remaining. Kyle Kuzma added 16 points.
Paul George had 30 points and Kawhi Leonard scored 28 for the Clippers, who had an 11-point lead midway through the third.
Thursday marked the NBA’s first game action that counted in 141 days, the league finally getting back to work after the coronavirus pandemic forced a shutdown.
Toledo sports delayed
TOLEDO — The Toledo Public Schools, the fourth-largest district in Ohio, will begin the school year with online learning on Sept. 8 and canceled sports until Oct. 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The school board Thursday unanimously approved the administration’s plans.
Superintendent Dr. Romules Durant said the schools can move football to the spring and just play a City League schedule.
Toledo Public Schools serves more than 23,000 students in eight high schools and 42 elementary schools.
Riley signs through ’25
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley will earn an average of more than $7.5 million a year under a contract extension through the 2025 season.
The university’s board of regents approved the two-year extension Tuesday. The deal was negotiated in February, before the coronavirus pandemic began causing financial stress to college athletic budgets across the country.
The 36-year-old Riley enters his fourth season with a 36-6 record, three Big 12 championships and three appearances in the College Football Playoff. He also has coached Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray and Heisman finalist Jalen Hurts.
Riley earns $6.15 million after he and other athletic department employees making more than $1 million took a 10% pay cut as part of coronavirus-related budget cuts.
Riley is scheduled to make $8.05 million starting in February.
Riley’s assistant coaches also had new contracts approved. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch remains the highest paid assistant, going from $1.4 million to $1.8 million. A 2002 graduate of Mount Union, Grinch was a safety on three NCAA Division III national championship teams for the Purple Raiders.
Rockets lose another
TOLEDO — The University of Toledo lost another non-conference football game when the Northeast Conference announced it will postpone all fall sports due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Toledo was scheduled to host Central Connecticut, the 2019 NEC champions, on Sept. 26.
The Rockets’ Sept. 19 game at Michigan State was canceled when the Big Ten decided to play only league games.
Toledo is scheduled to open the football season at Tulsa on Sept. 5.
Beaver boys hit the links
CALCUTTA — The Beaver Local boys golf team will begin practice at 2 p.m. Monday at Beaver Meadows.
Pirates, Pens games live
PITTSBURGH — AT&T SportsNet, the official TV home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Penguins will offer an additional channel for fans to watch both Pittsburgh Pirates and Penguins when game times coincide.
The network will produce and televise both live games, carrying one on the primary channel (PIT1), and the other live game on a secondary AT&T SportsNet channel (PIT2). Each telecast will include live pre- and post-game shows.
At 8 p.m. Monday, the Penguins will host the Montreal Canadiens on PIT1, while the Pirates play at the Minnesota Twins on PIT2.